Package cutter



y 1945- L. WALTERS 2,376,887

PACKAGE CUTTER Filed June 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29, 1945 v UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE memos cu'r'ma mm Walters, New York, N. r. Applicatlon'lune 15, 1944, Serial No.- 540,401

I Claims.

This invention relates to cutters designed for opening packaged articles.

An object of this invention is to provide a cutter for packaged articles which will permit opening or the package without damaging the contents.

Another object 01' this invention is to provide a cutter of this type which includes a, handle, a blade mounted in the forward end of the handle, and a pivoted spring-pressed guard carried by the handle and normally covering the blade.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cutter of this type wherein the blade guard will serve as a guide for the blade.

A further object 01' this invention is to provide an improved cutting blade which can be extended from or retracted into the handle, the blade being 01' the reversible type so as to provide increased use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a series of detachable guards for the handle and blade, so that the cutter may be used for general or special purposes.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a cutter of this kind, a hollow handle which is formed with a magazine for holding extra blades.

With the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment, but it is to be understood that changes, modifications and variations may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of a cutter constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a detail side elevation of a cutter having a modified form of guard,

Figure '1 is a. sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a plan view of the guard shown in Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a detail side elevation of another form of guard,

Figure 10 is a plan view of the guard shown Figure 9, and I Figure 11 is a detail rear elevation of the guard shown in Figures 9. and 10. 1

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a handle which is formed of complementary handle members It and I1. The handle members l6 and II are of elongated construction and terminate at their rear ends in a reduced rear portion 18. Handle section I1 comprises a side wall l9 having upper. and lower flanges 20 and 2|, and handle-section l8 comprises a side wall-'22 formed with upper and lower flanges 23 and 24 which are adapted to abut the edges of flanges 20 and 2!, respectively.

Handle section I1 at its forward end is provided with a flat blade clamping jaw 25 and handle section It is provided with a fiat blade clamping jaw 26. A trapezoidal'bladefl is adapted to be disposed between the two Jaws 26 and 21 and is adapted to have the forward end thereof projecting beyond the forward ends of the jaws 25 and 26. The handle section l6 at its rear or small end is formed with an annular seat 28, and handle section 11 is provided with a tubular member 29 extending in the direction of the handle section IS and is adapted to engage within the annular blade 21 at its upper or short edge is provided with a series ofspaced apart notches 32, and the upper edge of the jaw 25 is formed with a lug 33 adapted to engage in a selected one of the notches 32 so as to hold the blade 21 in selected project ing position with respect to thejaws 25 and 26. A pin 34 is carried by the jaw 25 and projects in the direction of the jaw 26 and is adapted to engage through elongated opening 35 which is formed in the blade 21. The blade 21 is tightly clamped between the jaws 25 and 26, as shown in Figure 4 by means of a set screw 36 which is threaded through the jaw 26 and. bears against the adjacent side of the blade 21.

The handle section I1 between the ends thereof is formed with a blade magazine 31 which is of trapezoidal configuration, and as shown in Figure 2 projects inwardly of the handle section It. An inwardly projecting lug 38 is carried by the inner side of the side wall 22 of handle section It, projecting into the magazine 31 so as to engage against the blades positioned in the magazine and hold these blades against lateral shifting.

sions 43 which are provided at their rear edges with a V-shaped cutout 44 so that a cord on a packaged article will be gripped in the cutout 44 and the handle l may then be rocked so as to bring the blade 21 into cord cutting position which is the position shown-in dotted lines in Figure 3.

50 and 5| of the guard 49 being spaced apart, it is possible to cut the, package at the corners formed by adjacent walls, the meeting point of the right angularly disposed walls being extended between the two side members 50 and 5|.

These side members will act as guides to hold the cutting blade in the desired position, whereupon the handle may be tilted so as to project the blade 21 through the corner of the'package and The guard 43 is constantly urged toa blade covering position by means of a spring '45 engaging about the clamping screw 36 and an chored at oneend as at 46 to the handle I5 and having the opposite end thereof bearing against the rear edge of one of the ears 4| as "indicated at 41. The handle |5 on at least one side thereof is formed with a stop 48 against which the rear edge of one of the ears 4| is adapted to hear so 1 as to hold the guard 39' in substantial alignment I with the handle l5 and in a blade covering position.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, there is discloseda handle l5 identical with the construction shown in'Figures l to 5 inclusive and which has pivotally mounted on the forward end thereof a modified-form of blade guard, generally designated as 49. The blade guard 49 is of substantially U-shaped construction including side members 50 and 5| and a bight or connecting member 52. The side members 50 and 5| are formed with rearwardly extending ears 53, and 54, respectively, which overlap the outer sides of the clamping members 25 and 26. The connecting member 52 is longitudinally curved as shown in Figure 6 so as to protect the forward end of the blade 21.

Referring now to Figures 9, 10 and 11 there is disclosed a modified form of guard which is similar to guard 49. The guard herein shown includes side members 55 and 56 which are connected together by a longitudinally curved connecting member or bight 51. The side member 56 is formed with an opening 58 through which the pivot screw and clamping member is adapted to engage. A right angularly disposed guiding flange 59 is carried by the lower edge of the side member 56 and provides a means for guiding the device as it is moved along the edge or surface of a package. 7

In the use and operationof this cutter, the handle I5 is held in one hand and where a guard, such as the guard 39, is mounted on the forward end-of the handle, the cord which is to be cut is engaged in the V-shaped cutout 44 and the handle l5 then rocked so as to bring the blade,

21 into cutting position across the cutout 44.

Where a cutter similar to that shown in Figures 7 and 81s used, the guard 49 is designed for cutting the wrapper or edge of the package. In order'to cut the edge-of the package the lower flat edges of the side members 50 and 5| are engaged with the package and the handle I5 is then rocked upwardly so as to bring the blade 21 into a projecting position below the flat edges of the side members 50 and 5|. The cutter may then be drawn along the edge of the package and the blade 21 will sever the wrapper or wall of the package at the desired point. The side members the device may then be moved along the edge with the blade 21-cutting through the package at the corner formedby adjacent right angular walls.

Where it is desired to cut the package at a point inwardly from the edges thereof, the guard shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11 may be used with the guiding blade 21 moving along the edge of the package'and the blade being disposed inwardly from the edge and moved to a projecting or cutting positiondn' "the manner of the structure 20 shown in Figure 6.

What I claim is:

l."A cutter comprising a handle formed of complementary sides, opposed fiat extensions carried by said 'sides, a cutting blade disposed between and projecting from said extensions extending in the direction of the other extension,

said blade having an elongated opening throughwhich said pin engages and also having a plurality of notchesin the lengthwise edge thereof opposite from the cutting edge, a lug carried by one of said extensions engageable in a selected notch to hold said blade in a selected projecting position, and clamping means for securing said blade in adjusted position.

2. A cutter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said complementary sides of said handle are formed with confronting flanges, a blade magazine carried by one of said sides, and a member carried by the other side projecting into said magazine for engagement with blades in said magazine to hold said blades against movement.

3. A cutter as set forth in claim 1 including an annular recess formed in the inner side of one of said complementary sides adjacent the rear end thereof, a tubular member carried by the other of said pair of sides engaging in said recess to hold the rear ends of said pair of sides in alignment, and threaded means engaging said pair of sides adjacent the forward ends thereof for detachably holding said pair of sides together.

4. A cutter comprising a handle, a cutting blade projecting from the forward end of said handle, a U-shaped guard engaging about said blade, a pair of ears carried by the sides of said guard, a combined blade clamping screw and guard pivot threaded into said handle and engaging through one of said ears, and a spring constantly urging said guard to blade covering position, the opposite sides of said guard extending substantially below the cutting edge of said cutter, and at least one of said sides being formed with a V-shaped cutout in the rear edge thereof whereby to provide a cord retaining means for severing of thecord by said cutter.

5. A cutter comprising a handle, a cutting blade projecting from the forward end of said handle,

a U-shaped guard engaging about said blade, a pair of ears carried by the sides of said guard, a guard pivot engaging through one of said ears,

and a spring constantly urging said guard to cutting blade projecting from theforward end 01" 7. A cutter comprising a handle, a cutting blade projecting from the forward end of said handle, .a U-shaped guard surrounding the said blade, a pair of ears extended rearwardly from said handle, a U-shaped'guard surrounding the 5 said guard inthe direction of saidhandie, apivot said blade, a pair 01' ears extended rearwardly from said guard in the direction of said handle, a pivot for said guard extending from a forward bined guide flange and guard lifting means integral with one edge of said guard.

for said guard extending from a forward part of said handle and passing through one of said ears. and a spring mounted on said pivot for yieldingly maintaining said guard in blade covering post- 10 tion.

LEWIS WALTERS. 

